Remember man that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return...
Repent and believe in the Gospel
The liturgy today affords the priest a choice - he can chose either of those prayers as he applies ashes on the faithful today. This is my first year being in a parish for Ash Wednesday so I distributed ashes for the first time ever today. Between those attending the morning mass and the students in the schools I look after, I've probably distributed ashes to well over 500 people - and the evening Mass is still to come.
Now, I have a certain affection for the old-fashioned "Remember man that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return" and was always mildly irked as a layman that I never came across a priest who used it. However, as it suited the cathechesis I gave the school children, I used "Repent and believe in the Gospel" at the schools. (I was pleasantly surprised that some of the kids asked me about the whole mortality symbolism of the ashes without any prompting.)
Anyway, probably the most sombre moment of the day was when a mother and child came up for ashes at Mass. I asked the woman whether she wanted ashes for the child as well, and she nodded. It's difficult to say to a babe in arms, "Remember man that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return", but it was more appropriate than the other option. Whether we realise it or not, our death casts a shadow from the first moment of our life.
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2 comments:
Thanks Fr B. Reminds me of when I went to a funeral over a year ago. This was the funeral of a young man who died in very tragic circumstances.
It really hit me when, actually before Mass started, gifts were brought up to the altar; his parents brought up his christening robe. It reminded me that even at Baptism, yes it is about birth and life, but also a person's life really also includes the person's death.
+JMJ+
I think Father O'Brien is one of the only priests I ever came across who used the old prayer--and he only did it with me.
My favourite Ash Wednesday memory is that in which I was standing in line for ashes and hearing him say, "Repent and believe in the Gospel," to the adults, and "Try to be good for Jesus," to the children, and then being surprised with a "Remember that you are dust and unto dust you shall return," just for me!
Admittedly, it's not a memory that inspires penitence, but I treasure it anyway. =P
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